NEW GARDEN — All eyes were on the sky as stunt pilots performed feats of wonder at the New Garden Flying Field Air Show on Saturday.

The pleasant weather and clear skies attracted several thousand spectators to the event that annually has guests awestruck as they watch planes fly in formation, make sudden dives and perform trick moves.

The morning began quite early with a pancake breakfast and helicopter rides for the public. Then, at noon the show began in earnest.

From the collection of planes parked on the tarmac, they flew one-by-one or sometimes in groups, showing their audience what these birds are capable of.

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Some zoomed skyward and then dropped abruptly, leaving a smoke train behind. Others did spirals in the sky, with their smoke trails verifying the complex route they took.

But there was more.

On the ground there were numerous exhibits, including a display of old cars and an Abbott and Costello act.

Lou Mandich, who restores antique vehicles in his Unionville shop, brought a vehicle for show and said he had just purchased an old Packard from a friend. He added that he has been to most of the 42 air shows at the flying field.

His friend, Peter Grace, said he was impressed with the show. “I’m just a car guy, but this is great,” he said.

One of the demonstrations at the show was remote control planes, one of which was a jet. It zoomed at amazingly high rates of speed, sometimes quite close to the ground. Grace said it reminded him of one he had seen in a James Bond movie.

Along with the spectacle in the sky, there were many refreshment and souvenir stands. People stood in long lines to get hamburgers, pulled pork, funnel cake and root beer floats, while others dug deep in their pockets to by artwork, toy airplanes and even copies of the Warbird Pinup Girls calendars, mugs and iPhone covers.

Tammy Jean, herself a pinup girl re-enactor, sat at the vendor stand and talked to customers. She is, in fact, one of the models on a recent calendar.

The atmosphere was definitely 1940s, with the sounds of Glenn Miller and Tommy Dorsey playing on the loud speaker and some visitors dressed in period uniforms as aviators from a bygone era.

The show continues today (Sunday) starting at 9 a.m. with ground activities and the air show commencing at 11:30. The field is on Newark Road in New Garden, just south of the Route 1 bypass.

About the Author

Chris Barber is the zone editor of the Avon Grove Sun. She is a lifelong resident of Kennett Square and a graduate of Unionville High School and Carleton College majoring in religion and minoring in astronomy. She is the founder of the Kennett Area YMCA. Reach the author at cbarber@21st-centurymedia.com
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